Newsies in Middle Earth
by Harthad
Summary: When Colin finds a hole in one of the streets of New York, he, Jack and Crutchie are most certainly not prepared for the adventure that comes next. But will the newsies' presence in Middle-earth somehow change the fate of the Ring, and the world?
1. Chapter 1

"Why does I always have to go after Colin?!"

Crutchie and Jack were glaring at each other in the doorway of the Lodging House. Luckily, no newsies were waiting to walk inside.

"You found 'im!" The two had had this argument for many a week, most often when Colin had run off. "So you gets to take care of 'im!"

Crutchie gave Jack a dirty look. "S'not my fault he runs off every day," he muttered.

"Yous not keepin' a good eye on him! So you gets to go find 'im. Go on, Crutchie." Jack had more important stuff to look at, and he walked into the Lodging House, declaring the argument over.

Crutchie kicked at a pebble mutinously, wondering what would happen if he _didn't_ go look for Colin. Lots of trouble, probably. As a matter of fact, Crutchie wouldn't have to look for Colin after all. The boy ran up to him as fast as he could and stood there, panting.

"Where've you been?!" Crutchie asked. "You can't jus' go runnin' off like that again! Jack's already mad at me for, well, you know, the turkey, but the point is, you have to stick near me, okay? We can't have ya gettin' lost. Again. You got that, Colin?!"

Colin glanced up at him with an excited gleam in his eye, and Crutchie seriously doubted that he had been listening.

"I found a place!"

"Yeah?" This was just Colin's way, he wanted you to ask questions before he did his big reveal.

Colin shook his head. "Come on! I have to show you!" He took hold of Crutchie's hand, dragging him through the streets of New York as fast as he could. Jack looked out the window, watched them go, and quickly followed.

"Hey, where're you two goin'?!" he yelled after them, but Colin didn't answer.

The three raced down the street, bumping into pedestrians and passerby. Colin and Crutchie turned a corner, Jack coming up behind. In front of them was a big hole in the street, dark and musty. Jack and Crutchie peered into it.

"What's this?" Crutchie asked right before Colin pushed him down the hole.

"Crutchie!" Jack hollered as his friend disappeared from view. He turned to glare at Colin and probably give him a lecture, but lost his footing and fell down into the hole. Colin looked left and right, and then jumped in after the two.

They passed through stifling darkness, landing in a heap on what felt like graveled stone. Crutchie spit some dirt out of his mouth and raised his head to see Jack's foot dangling in front of his nose. Crutchie pushed him away and sat up to see Colin staring in confusion.

"This wasn't where I was last time," the boy said uncertainly, and Crutchie and Jack got their first view of where they actually were. Surrounded by huts with golden-thatched roofs, the boys had landed in the middle of a small town. The locals peered out from where they had just stopped sweeping their doorsteps, or chatting with their neighbors to stare at the newcomers. Most of them wore heavy furs with broaches, and all had fair skin and blonde, red hair. The steady clip-clopping of a horse caused the boys to turn and see a majestic, smooth-furred white stallion with an old man layered in grey and white perched upon the beast's back. Two more horses followed with a tall, hawk-faced person with long blonde hair and sharp, keen-piercing eyes and a beaten-up, scruffy man with tangled brown hair and a cloak clasped with a leaf broach. Crutchie, Jack and Colin stared as the three people stopped by them, looking down. One of the men muttered something about 'hobbits'. The bearded man gazed at the boys, a spark in his eye. He extended a hand to Colin.

"I knew Id see you again, young master Colin," he said kindly. "Can you and your friends walk alongside us until we reach Edoras? It seems we have much to discuss."

Jack and Crutchie exchanged glances.

"'Scuse me, sir," Crutchie asked. "But who are you?"

"That," Gandalf the Wizard (for it was he) proclaimed, "Is a question for another time, another place. Now come along."


	2. Chapter 2

_Jack and Crutchie exchanged glances._

_"'Scuse me, sir," Crutchie asked. "But who are you?"_

_"That," Gandalf the Wizard (for it was he) proclaimed, "Is a question for another time, another place. Now come along."_

__The boys had never seen anything like Edoras before. Heck, they had never seen anything like Middle-earth before! At least, that's what Colin told them this place was called. Apparently he had already been here, and had ran into some things called 'hobbits'. Jack and Crutchie had no clue what those were, though. The best thing was to go along with this strange group, and discover all the answers in time. Though Jack was very impatient.

Something of this place reminded him of Santa Fe, with it's wide green hills and snow-capped mountains in the distance. This part of Middle-earth felt desolate however, with barely a smile adorning the passing people's faces. Crutchie thought that was strange. Even in New York, you'd always see a smile somewhere. Or at least some expression besides forlorn and grim.

Rising up above them on a hill that they struggled up was a grand castle-like structure with a thatched golden roof and wooden walls. The sun glinted off a star-like motif that was stationed above the wide doors, which men in helmets and long green robes and tarnished armor guarded. The horses made a steady beat across the stone-paved courtyard, with Crutchie's crutch adding to the uneven footsteps. Standing at the edge of the steps was a fair-haired woman, layered in white. She had about her a proud, fair look that looked down at the newcomers. Jack carefully took off his hat, carefully aware of his roughed up appearance in contrast to the woman's lovely attire. As he watched, the red and forest green flag broke free of it's tethers and flew away, escaping into the gale. Jack tracked the flag's movements for a moment, and when he looked back, the lady was gone.

Crutchie, looking the other way, barely stopped before he noticed that the horses had stopped at the doors. He limped over to Jack, wondering why they just didn't go inside. Gandalf and the guards seemed to be having some sort of exchange.

"I cannot allow you before Théoden-King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Gríma Wormtongue."


End file.
